La Vita Nuova?
by tinidril
Summary: House and Cuddy turn a corner. I've never written a word of fiction in my life, so I'm anxiously looking forward to reviews.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I don't own House. If I did, I wouldn't be here LOL.

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A/N: I'm thrilled with response so far! Thank you all. Feeling very humble.

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House's arrival coincided with Rachel's feeding time, and after he helped himself to the coffee Cuddy pointed to, he watched Cuddy with his quiet, intense interest as she changed a diaper, warmed a bottle of formula and settled into the armchair to feed the baby. "You're losing your new mother jitters", he noted. "Yes", she smiled, looking up at him with pride glowing on her face. "More confident every day. They're not that easy to break, apparently." He snorted lightly and shot a crooked grin her way, and for the next ten minutes they quietly watched Rachel drink her bottle.

He'd been polite for once, even asking some routine questions of the type that make mothers think everyone is as fascinated by the new baby as they are. Cuddy wasn't so drunk on motherhood that she didn't notice, but she smiled inwardly noting that this sort of courteous small-talk was difficult for House, and she appreciated his effort.

When the bottle was empty, Cuddy moved the burp cloth from under Rachel's chin to her lap, and laid the baby belly-down on it, cooing and nuzzling her as she did so. Rubbing and patting the Rachel's back gently, it wasn't long before the reward of a satisfied baby belch arrived.

"Now you're safe", she said, picking up the baby and handing her to him. "Well, safer...take the burp cloth anyway. Much less chance she'll spit up on you now". House made a face at Cuddy as he took the baby from her...he did know how to hold a baby, he was a doctor, but _her_ baby?

It was easier to talk now, even holding Rachel. They even sparred a little bit: was that a smile on the baby's face or more gas? Piano lessons first or dance? Ballet or tap? Finally, seeing the baby winking and nodding sleepily, Cuddy said, "House, you're boring her. I win", and gently took Rachel back in her arms to ready her for bed.

House stretched his legs out and waited, listening to Cuddy in the nursery, cooing and babbling to the baby, hearing the sounds of a music box being wound up, followed by the tinny strains of Brahms' Lullaby. He heard Cuddy telling the baby good night, and the door quietly closing, and her soft footsteps padding back out towards the living room.

"Well. A few hours rest, then repeat. She's a good sleeper, though", she sighed with relief and began to tidy up, gathering the bottle and other supplies to wash and put away. House grabbed her hand. "No. Let it be for now. Sit down and talk with me".

"I thought that's what we were doing" Cuddy said, but placed everything back on the coffee table and sat next to him on the sofa. "Not that I'm complaining about relaxation, but I hate to let things pile up. Not everyone is like you". She mimicked his earlier face at her, and just laughed when he rolled his eyes.

They sat in silence for a while, she with her hands folded demurely in her lap and staring idly at the ceiling, he staring at his outstretched fingers and tapping them against each other. "This is all very domestic, but it isn't talking", Cuddy said lightly, at last. "What's on your mind? What did you want to talk about? And..." she turned around to face him on the sofa, a slight trace of annoyance entering her voice, "...why did you come here in the first place?"

House stopped studying his fingers. He looked up at her, and Cuddy recognized the look in his eyes. She'd seen it before and she knew what he would say next. Her breath stopped in her chest.

"I don't know."

How can there be no aggressor? How is that neither makes the first move, until they both make the first move? How can each person be both bold and shy, both fearful of acceptance and yet utterly confident of it? A wonder of the age. She marvelled that his hands trembled when she pressed his fingers to her lips; he marvelled that, for once, her eyes could not meet his unless those trembling fingers lifted her chin. He whispered her name. "Lisa." Cuddy could scarcely recall him ever calling her that, and for some reason, it thrilled her.

House's brow wrinkled when he saw her eyes glistening. He didn't want to do anything she didn't want. For a second, indecision and fear clawed at his psyche, but Cuddy seemed to sense his feelings and shook her head slightly, and smiled. He'd seen her smile that radiantly before, but only at Rachel. He was astonished at how it moved him. Cuddy took House's hand from her chin, kissed the palm softly and placed it on her cheek, and as she leaned forward his lips met hers. None of the aching urgency of their first kiss. Just the overwhelming desire to give pleasure, to receive it. To have the unutterable joy of knowing what you do for your beloved gives unutterable joy in return.

An hour later, they lay on her bed. Not looking at each other, the only concession to cuddling her right foot touching his left. House's voice pierced the quiet.

"Why does everyone think we slept together before?"

Cuddy laughed, pulled herself up on one elbow and looked at him through tousled curls. "Ummm...maybe because you've been telling everyone we did. For years now."

"True, but everyone knows I'm full of shit. They saw through my bullying of you as the pigtail-in-the-inkwell schoolboy shenanigans it was." He reached up, pulled one of her curls gently a couple of times, and smiled ruefully.

"Well, you had me fooled." Cuddy plopped back down on her pillow, taking the opportunity to take his hand from her hair and interwine her fingers in his. "I don't think I'm the _least _insightful woman in the world, but I was pretty convinced you loathed me. As a person. I'm not stupid enough to think you wouldn't have sex with me. Under the right circumstances."

"Yah. Sorry about the loathing part." House rubbed his thumb against hers and pulled his hand away. "Believe it or not, you intimidate me just a bit." She started laughing again, incredulously this time, and he talked over it. "And what are we to assume about these particular circumstances?"

"I could ask you the same question. I don't know. I'm afraid and happy and paranoid and relieved and...a whole lot of other things all at once." Cuddy looked over to see him intently observing her.

House sighed. "Great minds think alike. I can't figure out if this is the most idiotic thing I've ever done, or my most masterful move yet."

"You know, it's a puzzle and you want to solve it. Me too, for some strange reason. I wasn't drunk tonight, I wasn't even particularly vulnerable. Can't blame it on hormones. I did this with my eyes wide open. Well, except for when they were closed." Cuddy caught his eye, winked quickly, and went on. "Despite your declarations to the contrary, I'm not a raging inferno of lust looking to drag the unwary into my lair and suck the life out of them." She saw House was opening his mouth to snark at her and she reached over and placed a forefinger on his lips. "Otherwise, I'd have done it to _you_ a long time ago." With that, she scooted over to his side, snuggled under his arm and placed her hand on his chest. "And dammit, I'm going to cuddle with you whether you like it or not. I earned it. With _my_ masterful moves."

House lay there, his left arm around her, looking down at her head nestled against him. Cuddy couldn't see it, but a smile played around his lips as they both dozed off.

When Cuddy woke up a couple of hours later, it was to the sound of the baby gurgling in the nursery. She sat upright, pushed her hair away from her face, and turned to House, rousing him with a gentle shake of his shoulder. "Greg, you should go now", she said quietly.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Cuddy was at work early the next morning. She quickly sorted through the morning's mail, making piles mentally labelled "Handle Later", "Handle Now", "Handle Yesterday"...she sighed deeply at how quickly _that_ pile grew...it was easy for her to sort, to neatly categorize tasks, juggle responsibilities and emergencies, so it was easy too for her to think of the previous night while ordering her day's duties. House had left when she woke him. He didn't complain, didn't explain, didn't say _anything_, in fact, merely dressing in silence. When he turned to take his cane from where it leaned against the bedside table, Cuddy reached out and quietly touched his hand, looking at his face, but he just left, not breaking the silence.

She sighed again, happily this time. She _was_ happy, she wasn't going to pretend otherwise. The unexpected turn of events last night didn't astonish her, really. They made perfect sense. Cuddy didn't believe in "Happily Ever After" any more than House did, but she was pretty sure _both_ of them could benefit from a dose of "Carpe Diem". Or "Noctem". Cuddy laughed to herself; her Latin stopped at medical texts.

The phone rang, and after consulting some notes, Cuddy told the caller she'd be in the conference room shortly. She gathered her papers and headed out the door. She purposely took the route that passed by House's office, hoping he would notice. As she passed, she glanced out of the corner of her eye to see Doctors Hadley, Taub and Kutner seated at the table, Dr. Foreman standing by the far wall, and House half-seated on the desk, legs crossed in front of him, talking and pointing at the white-board with a dry-erase marker.

House saw her, too. Cuddy didn't expect him to wave, or smile, or acknowledge her in any typical way. If he'd stuck his tongue out at her, she wouldn't have been surprised at all. She didn't expect though, the veil that fell almost immediately over his eyes. Her brow wrinkled in confusion and she cocked her head to one side, still looking at House, but he continued talking to his team as if she wasn't there. After a moment, she continued on her way, pondering his reaction.

Back in her office, Cuddy ran her palm over one of the few surfaces of her desk not covered with files, invoices, legal correspondence and other paperwork. She'd never thanked House for having her old medical school desk moved here when her office was redecorated. A sweepingly romantic gesture she hadn't thought him capable of, and it still touched her heart to think of it. "He's just being an idiot", she said to herself, picking up the phone and dialing his pager number. "When he gets here, we'll hash it out." She put down the receiver and began to sign off on some files while she waited for House to arrive.

A half hour went by before House appeared at her office door. Cuddy motioned him to come in, and though she was smiling, he looked glum and severe. He sat in the chair in front of her desk and balanced his cane between his knees.

"I suppose it's time for my performance review", House said in a monotone. Cuddy's jaw dropped. "Whaa...? What are you talking about?"

"Last night. This morning. Whatever you want to call it. I gathered from the bum's rush I received that the experience left you less than enthusiastic." His voice was cold and clipped.

"Oh. My. God. I honestly don't expect you to behave the way normal people do", she fumed. "I wouldn't recognize you if you did. But don't project your distorted perceptions onto me! How you took anything negative from my behavior is beyond my ability to comprehend." Cuddy was almost trembling with anger and frustration at House's apparent thickness.

"It's fine. You changed your mind, you were embarrassed, you didn't want me there for whatever reason. Actually, you don't need a reason. Your place, your rules." He looked away from focusing on his cane and met her eyes.

"Don't be an ass", Cuddy snapped. "You of all people should be intuitive enough to know I have a nanny for Rachel. I really don't want to be publishing my private business to the world. I, surprisingly enough, would feel awkward letting a man out the door at the same time I let the nanny in." She slammed a few files around the desk, trying to stay angry but her next words were softer. "If I didn't have to work today, I wouldn't have sent you home."

He stared at her for a few seconds. "I think you just didn't want me to meet the nanny", he stated. She looked at him in shock, mouth agape, furious again, until she saw his mask of mock-innocence. "God! Are you twelve? I should throw something at you." But she laughed, relieved and reassured. "Go do your job. I'll talk to you later."

"Yes, boss." He rose to his feet, swung himself around and limped out the door.

House wouldn't have admitted it to anyone, not even Wilson, but he was relieved, too. He _had_ been hurt, or mystified anyway, when Cuddy asked him to leave. His ego was more than healthy enough to deflect criticism of just about any aspect of his life, which is why almost nothing Cuddy could rant or rave about in her role as hospital administrator could bother him. He did what he pleased and he was usually right. But last night, he wanted to do what _she_ pleased, and it stung him to think that perhaps he'd failed. That, after the world's longest foreplay, he'd ended up being a disappointment to her.

"Damn", he thought to himself as he headed back to his office. "Dodged a bullet, but what now? I just don't want her to pity me. If I wanted that, I'd go after Cameron." He shook his head as he entered his office, the team looking up expectantly at him. "OK, what did you come up with while I was gone?"


End file.
